The artist has handed over the entirety of his £25k honor cash to the Music Venues Trust, which functions to preserve the Britain's grassroots concert spaces.
Fender was given the prize on mid-October as his third album his work was declared the best record of the past year.
He has decided to hand the money over to the Music Venues Trust, in acknowledgment of the essential function small stages played in his beginning days.
"As an artist couldn't be pursuing my current career if it hadn't been for all the shows I performed around the North East, and beyond, when I was beginning," remarked the artist. "These locations are legendary, but they are facing challenges."
Beginning in 2023, more than 150 of these locations have shut down – roughly 16% of the whole industry in the UK.
Over the past year, top acts including the band Pulp, Coldplay, the singer Katy Perry and Sheeran have all backed the MVT in its initiatives to help venues survive, by applying a minor surcharge to their ticket costs, which benefits local stages.
He also joined in, raising over £100k on his live tour to support thirty-eight grassroots venues across Britain.
These funds helped spaces that were facing imminent closure due to challenges arising from flooding, blazes and bereavements, as well as licensing issues, legal disputes and noise complaints.
Additional spaces were granted financial assistance in modernizing facilities and sound and lighting systems that helped musicians and fans.
"The notion that revenue from shows in major spaces helps the independent spots, where it kicks off for performers like me, is just common sense," Sam Fender has commented.
The musician is among several artists to contribute his award funds to worthy causes.
In they won the trophy in the mid-90s for their release their work, vocalist Cocker declared that the band would donate their winnings to the non-profit War Child.
In 2002, musician she divided her bounty across multiple good causes, such as the NSPCC and a Sickle Cell organization.
"And I gave a grand to my local community centre, to their classes, because I trained in gymnastics when I was growing up and they lacked new equipment," she shared with outlets.
Two years ago, they donated their prize money to the youth organization that developed their band, in addition to other grassroots music organisations.
Additionally 1994 winners the group gave their winnings to a charity for MS after a acquaintance was diagnosed the illness.
"Winning was ample," remarked singer Heather Small. "The prize was the cherry on top but we could do without the bonus, because we had the honor. So our success impacted another person's life."
In the past week, the MVT revealed it had protected several small stages in that region, by bringing them into local control.
One venue in Southampton and the second in that location were purchased under the Own Our Venues program, which is funded by the arts council and enthusiasts who acquire "stakes" in the buildings.
